


A Study in Women: A Ladies' Sherlock, Episode 1: A Study in Pink

by Chocolate Park Irregulars (Hobbit4Lyfe)



Series: A Study in Women: A Ladies' Sherlock [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Everyone Is a Girl, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Gen, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, Kidnapping, Quasi-Drug References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-05-08 03:22:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 13,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5481527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hobbit4Lyfe/pseuds/Chocolate%20Park%20Irregulars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A currently unproduced web show I wrote, to probably star my best friend, where in an alternate universe, Sherlock has an all female cast who are students at a slightly fictionalized George Mason University.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and the BBC One show Sherlock by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.  
> Also inspired by the movie Mean Girls, starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, and Tina Fey (movie also written by Ms. Fey).  
> Basically, this is just a fan film disguised as what was originally supposed to be an experimental student film, and then became a web series.  
> I do not technically own the characters and situations. I was just inspired by them.

A small title flashes along the bottom of the screen: "George Mason University." This is followed by another: "Sunday, August XX, 20XX." It is featured over the following:  
A flurry of activity. Cars are going by. People with luggage are wandering around. People are hugging - families saying goodbye and friends saying hello.  
It's move-in weekend at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and fall classes will start on Monday. The date fades out.  
A young woman, carrying only a couple small bags, wanders through the crowd. She's a short-ish, brunette, twenty-something senior studying pre-med. Her name is JOON HANNAH WATSON.

Joon: (Trying to call out for help:) Hello? Does anyone know where 221B Baker Street is?

Another young woman, average height, also brunette and a twenty-something senior, walks up to Joon. This young woman is SHERLOCK HOLMES. Unlike Joon, she has no bags.

Sherlock: You must be Joon Watson. I'm Sherlock Holmes. Come on, this way.

The two shake hands and, once Joon picks her bags back up, begin to walk.

Joon: (Confused:) How'd you know who I am?

Sherlock: Based on the information provided by the school housing department, I found all your social media profiles: Facebook, Twitter, the like. That way, I knew what you looked like, based on photos you have posted. By the way, if you're going to be my housemate, don't let me catch you making any more of those ridiculous "duck faces." It makes you look like you've had too many lemons.

Joon gives a "WTF" face.

Sherlock: This will be your first full year at this school, won't it?

Joon becomes even more confused.

Sherlock: Oh, don't give me that look. I just read your education listings and text posts on Facebook, as I've said. And you were the one who just said you still don't know your way around campus.

Joon: Touché.

Sherlock: Based on your social media likes, I could see your name is actually Juniper, shortened to Joon, as in Benny and. Even though he cares about you haven't talked to your brother lately, probably because you think he drinks too much. Or because he and his lady friend have just broken up.

Joon: What?! Nobody knows that except for my parents! How could you tell?

Sherlock: Again, it was just based on your online likes, and your present confirmation.

Joon: So, you guessed?

Sherlock: No, I deduced.

Joon: OK... So how did you "deduce" where I'd get lost?

Sherlock: I know this school like the back of my hand. I just wandered around until I found you. It also helped that you gave up trying to find our place outside Southside. It's only the most popular dining hall on-campus.

As they walk, Joon still looks confused. And kinda shocked.

Joon: Oh, you're good.

Sherlock answers Joon, but doesn't turn to show her roommate a smug look:

Sherlock: I know.

Joon: Now, who are you? I should know, since we're apparently living together, and you already know practically everything about me!

Sherlock: I play loud music sometimes when I'm thinking, and sometimes I don't talk for days on end. Would that bother you? Roommates should know the worst about each other. This should be enough to go on with, don't you think?

Joon: What?!

Sherlock: Yeah, I'm always like this.

Sherlock and Joon continue to walk around campus towards the townhouses for a moment.

Cut to:


	2. Chapter 2

Sherlock and Joon are now outside their townhouse. Sherlock goes to unlock the door. Joon drops her bags, panting.

Sherlock: Well, here we are: 221B Baker Street.

Joon: What the hell, Sherlock? Why didn't you tell me we were so far away from our place? And I have all this stuff with me... The least you could've done was help me carry some of it!

A young woman, a twenty-something second-year senior with medium- to dark-blond hair, average height, runs over from the yard next door. This is ANTHEA HUDSON. She goes up to Sherlock.

Anthea: Ohmygod! Hi, Sherlock! Is this your new roommate?

She runs up to introduce herself to Joon, who is still recovering from dragging her luggage across campus.

Anthea: Hi! I'm Anthea Hudson! I'm Sherlock's Resident Advisor!

Sherlock: FORMER Resident Advisor! We're not in the on-campus housing anymore!

Joon: Yeah. I'm Joon Watson.

Anthea: Anyway, Sherlock and I also knew each other growing up. I've owed her a few favors after she helped me with a crappy boyfriend, back in high school. He was going to get beaten up... By a bunch of other girls.

Joon: Sherlock, you stopped these girls from attacking him?

Sherlock: No, I ensured it.

Sherlock gets the door unlocked and holds it open. Joon and Anthea take the luggage inside. Sherlock follows and closes the door behind her.

The camera rests a moment on the house number, 221B.  
We see Sherlock going upstairs, followed by Joon and Anthea. Sherlock shows the other two girls to a bedroom.

Sherlock: You can have this room. I've already taken the other one. If you want to change the stuff on the walls, you can. We will be needing two rooms, right?

Joon: Of course we'll need two rooms!

Anthea: Oh, don't worry! There are all sorts around here! Sherlock, I think that Turner girl from our floor last year's married now. I think you two will be great roommates!

Joon: But you both just met me! How can you tell?

Sherlock goes downstairs as Joon and Anthea go into the room and set down the luggage. A moment later, we follow them as they go downstairs and meet Sherlock in the living room. Joon still has her purse with her.

Joon: Well, this could be very nice.

Sherlock: Yes, I was totally thinking the same thing...

Joon: Yeah, just as soon as we get some of this stuff cleaned up...

Sherlock: (Speaking over Joon:) I've already moved in... (A beat, then:) Oh.

She starts cleaning up.

Sherlock: Well, obviously, I can clean up...

Joon looks around the room. She walks over to the fireplace and picks up a skull that's sitting on the mantle.

Joon: What the heck?

Sherlock: That's a friend of mine. When I say friend... Sorry... I'm used to having a single room or a single suite when I lived on-campus.

Anthea: What do you think, then, Joon?

Anthea wanders into the kitchen, which is a complete mess.

Anthea: Oh, Sherlock! Look at the mess you've made! You've only been here a few hours!

Joon sits down in a chair and pulls an iPad out of her purse and messes with it. Sherlock is still trying to clean the living room a bit. Anthea is heard off screen, trying to clean the kitchen.

Joon: I'm looking you up on the Internet.

Sherlock: Anything interesting?

Joon: (Impatiently:) Hold on a minute! Give this stuff a minute to load! (A beat, then:) OK, I found your website, The Science of Deduction.

Sherlock: What do you think?

Joon: (As she's browsing:) You say you can identify a video game design student by his T-shirt, and a foreign affairs student by his left thumb?

Sherlock: Yes. I also have a book related to my blog. It's called How to Be a Detective. It's on sale in the school book store. And I can also read your brother's drinking habits by your iPad right there.

Joon: How? Wait... You have a book? We have a school book store? Does anybody even go there?

Sherlock: Of course we have a school book store. Where do you get your textbooks?

Joon: I get them shipped from Amazon.com.

Anthea passes through the room, getting ready to leave.

Anthea: I'll see you two later. I live next door, by the way, in 221A.

Cut to:


	3. Chapter 3

A small title flashes along the bottom of the screen: "Monday, August XX, the first day of classes. Late evening." It is featured over the following:  
Joon walks into her bedroom, dropping her backpack on the floor. She goes over to sit on her bed, her back to the wall, and turns on her laptop.  
We look over Joon's shoulder and see her pulling up Google Blogger and going to create a new text post.

Joon: Stupid English class. Stupid blog.

We see her from the front, sighing and dropping her head onto the computer. She then picks her head back up and types something.  
We look over her shoulder and see that she now has her first post, which is shown on her actual blog. The heading is: "What am I even doing?" The post reads: "Um... My name is Joon Watson. I'm a senior in college, and this is my first full year after transferring schools. This blog is for my English class. I have no idea what to write about. I'm boring. I have trust issues. Who would want me as a roommate? Nothing happens to me."

Cut to:


	4. Chapter 4

Meanwhile, Sherlock walks into one of the student centers, the Johnson Center, in the middle of the campus. With her is a small, blond freshman in her late teens. This is MOLLY HOOPER. Both are wearing backpacks.

Molly: Thanks again for showing me around. You've been a big help, especially over the summer during orientation as my Peer Leader. And in class today...

Sherlock: Yeah, sure. I was forced into helping at orientation...

She starts moping towards the staircase in the middle of the building, with Molly right behind.

Molly: Bad day?

Sherlock stops just before the bottom of the stairs.

Sherlock: I hate studying. I hate school. Text me later.

Molly: Hey, listen, maybe when you're done...

Sherlock: You're wearing lipstick. You weren't wearing lipstick in class earlier.

Molly: I, uh... (She shuffles around a bit, and then:) Refreshed it a bit?

Sherlock looks at Molly suspiciously for a moment, and then snaps out of it.

Sherlock: Sorry. You were saying?

Molly: I was wondering if you'd like to get coffee? I'm so lonely! You're the only person I know here!

Sherlock: Black, two sugars, please. I'll be in the library stacks upstairs.

She turns and goes up the stairs.

Molly: OK...?

She goes off to the coffee shop.  
We now see Sherlock upstairs in the library, sitting at a table in front of a window, with books spread out all over the table. Her backpack is on the floor next to her. Molly walks up with the coffees.

Sherlock: Ah, Molly! Coffee! Thank you, little freshie-minion!

Molly sets down the coffees and her backpack, sits down across from Sherlock, and passes over one of the coffees. Sherlock looks up from her work and notices that Molly's makeup is gone.

Sherlock: What happened to the lipstick?

Molly: Oh, you know... (Trying to act nonchalant:) It just... Wasn't working for me.

Sherlock: Really? I thought it was a big improvement. Your mouth's too small now.

Molly: OK...?

Sherlock: But, then again, with it on, it made it look like you're trying too hard to look cool. I know you're a little freshie in the beginning of your very first semester, which means you don't know about this yet, but in college, people don't give a shit about personal appearances.

Molly: But you just said that...

Sherlock: Ugh. Forget it.

Cut to:


	5. Chapter 5

An opening credits scene similar to the one in the BBC show Sherlock is shown. It is played over the opening theme song for the show, written by David Arnold and Michael Price.

MUSIC CUE: "Opening Titles" by David Arnold and Michael Price, Sherlock Series 1 score.

Fade to:


	6. Chapter 6

A small title flashes along the bottom of the screen: "A Study in Pink." This is followed by another: "Wednesday, August XX. Evening." It is featured over the following:  
Three twenty-something seniors are sitting in a living room. Their school books are spread out in front of them, but by the way they're lounging around, it's obvious that they're taking a break.  
The first girl, sitting on a couch, slightly tall with brown hair, is JILL LESTRADE. The second girl, sitting in a chair, average height with brown hair, is SALLY DONOVAN. The last girl, sitting on the floor, tall with brown hair and maybe with glasses, is PIPPA ANDERSON.

Sally: We're already halfway through our first week of senior year, and our other housemates haven't shown up. What's the deal? There's got to be something up.

Lestrade: Well, over the weekend, they said we could find them to meet up to check in with the school. They didn't show up, and there was no indication that they'd be dropping out of school...

Anderson: But you can't just disappear and not tell your housemates! Or the school!

Lestrade: Well, apparently, you can.

Sally: And there's nothing else suspicious going on?

Lestrade: Nothing yet. It doesn't seem like the school will do anything, so we should. (Enthusiastically:) Even though we're only criminology students, we can do this!

Text message alerts go off on all of their phones. The girls all pick them up in sync.  
As we see them all reading the message, we see what was written, floating out of their phones as small titles. They're all the same message, sent from the same person. The message simply says: "Wrong!" The titles fade out. The three girls drop their phones.  
Sally groans and lets her head fall back onto the chair.

Sally: Just ignore it.

Anderson: It just says "wrong."

Sally: Ignore. It.

Lestrade: Oh, come on! There's got to be something up! Three people can't just all not show up for school and to move in to their housing assignments for no reason! The school's got their best people investigating... Us! Even though we're just students.

Text message alerts go off on all of their phones. The girls all pick them up in sync.  
As we see them all reading the message, we see what was written, floating out of their phones as small titles. They're all the same message, sent from the same person. The message simply says: "Wrong!" The titles fade out. The three girls drop their phones.

Anderson: Is there any chance that these are all kidnappings? And if so, is the kidnapper the same for all three of our housemates?

Lestrade: Kidnappings sound interesting, but they're probably not. Right now, they just look like regular dropouts...

Anderson: But they're all our housemates. That's got to count as a link among the three of them. What if we're next? How are we gonna not get kidnapped ourselves?

Lestrade: Well, don't get kidnapped! Obviously, this is weird, but all we have to do is exercise reasonable precautions! We're as safe as we want to be!

Text message alerts go off on all of their phones. The girls all pick them up in sync.  
As we see them all reading the message, we see what was written, floating out of their phones as small titles. They're all the same message, sent from the same person. The message simply says: "Wrong!" One particularly large "Wrong!" appears over Anderson's face. The titles fade out. Sally and Anderson drop their phones.  
Lestrade starts to set down her phone, too, but she gets another message. As we see her reading the message, we see what was written, floating out of her phone as a small title: "You know where to find me. SH."

Lestrade: Come on.

The three girls get up. As they go to leave the house, Sally turns to Lestrade.

Sally: You've got to stop her from doing that! We're all going to look like idiots one day!

Lestrade: Tell me HOW she does it, and I'll stop her!


	7. Chapter 7

A small title flashes along the bottom of the screen: "The next morning." It is featured over the following:  
Sherlock and Joon are in the living room of 221B. Joon is sitting in her chair. Sherlock is pacing around. A knock on the door is heard.

Sherlock: It's open.

Anthea walks into the room, wearing a backpack and reading the school newspaper, Fourth Estate Weekly, formerly known as The Broadside. She sets her backpack on the floor.

Anthea: So what about these disappearing students, then, Sherlock? I thought that they'd be right up your alley. Three exactly the same.

Sherlock walks over to the window.

Sherlock: Four. There's been a fourth. And there's been something different this time.

Anthea: A fourth?

Lestrade walks into the room.

Sherlock: Where?

Lestrade: On campus. The University Commons neighborhood. Our old dorm building, Dickenson Hall. First floor, our old floor.

Sherlock: What's new about this one? You wouldn't have come to me, otherwise.

Lestrade: You know how they haven't left notes or anything before? This one did. Will you come?

Sherlock: Are there any other criminology students there?

Lestrade: Sally Donovan. And Anderson.

Sherlock: They don't work well with me. Especially not Anderson.

Lestrade: Well, she won't be your assistant!

Sherlock: I NEED an assistant!

Lestrade groans.

Lestrade: Will you come?

Sherlock: Not with you. I'll be right there.

Lestrade: Thanks.

As she leaves, she addresses Anthea.

Lestrade: Later, Hudson.

Joon: What's going on?

Sherlock starts bouncing around the room.

Sherlock: Brilliant! Yes! Four student disappearances, and now a note! Oh! It's Christmas! Anthea, I'll probably be late meeting you for lunch at Southside. No. Just bring me back something from the Johnson Center.

She gets her purse and starts looking around the room for things to put in it, like her phone, wallet, and student ID.

Anthea: I'm your RA, not your housekeeper.

Sherlock: Ex-RA! Something cold will do. Actually, Joon, if you can have lunch at Southside with Anthea instead, that would be great. Don't wait up.

She runs out the door.

Anthea: Look at her, running around... My boyfriend was just the same. But you're more the sitting-down-and-studying type. I can tell. Let's go over to Southside now.

Joon: Damn Southside! Sorry. I'm so sorry.

Anthea: I understand. Sometimes it's so hard to find somewhere to sit there...

Joon: Lunch at Southside would be lovely, thanks. And could you show me where the food is in the Johnson Center, too?

Anthea: Not your housekeeper, dear.

Joon: What are you talking about?

Anthea: Sorry. It's a habit from when Sherlock and I used to to live on the same floor on-campus.

She goes into the bathroom in the hall for a moment. As soon as she leaves, Sherlock comes back into the room.

Sherlock: You're a pre-med student, right?

Joon: Yeah.

Sherlock: Any good?

Joon: Very good.

Sherlock: Seen a lot of gory stuff in your courses?

Joon: Well, yeah.

Sherlock: Seen any trouble?

Joon: Yeah, my old school was in a bad part of town. Disappearances like this happened all the time. Enough of those for a lifetime. Far too many.

Sherlock: Want to come along?

Joon: Oh, God, yeah!

The two of them start to leave. Off screen, the toilet and running water are heard. As the two girls start to leave, Anthea exits the bathroom and picks her backpack up.

Joon: Sorry, Anthea. I'm going to have to skip lunch, too. I'll see you there for late lunch, OK?

Anthea: Both of you?

Sherlock: Impossible disappearances? Four of them? There's no point in going out to lunch when there's finally something fun going on!

Anthea: Look at you, all happy! It's not decent!

Sherlock: Who cares about decent? The game is on, you guys!

She strides out the door, followed by Anthea and Joon, who locks up.

Sherlock: Let's go, Juniper!

Cut to:


	8. Chapter 8

By this time, Sherlock and Joon are wandering around campus, heading for Dickenson Hall. As they walk, they keep sneaking looks at each other. Sherlock breaks the awkward tension first.

Sherlock: OK, you've got questions.

Joon: Uh, duh... First off, where are we going?

Sherlock: A crime scene. Next?

Joon: Who are you? And what do you do? What are you studying?

Sherlock: What do you think?

Joon: I'd say... private detective... and criminology major?

Sherlock: I'm sensing a "but" here.

Joon: The campus police don't go to private detectives, especially not student private detectives.

Sherlock: I'm a consulting detective, the only one in the world. I invented the job.

Joon: What does that even mean?

Sherlock: It means when the police or the cadets are out of their depth, which is always, by the way, they consult me.

Joon: The police don't consult amateurs.

Sherlock: Actually, in this case, Lestrade, Donovan, and Anderson are actually concerned students.

Joon: Wait, what?

Sherlock: Over the weekend, when I said I'd looked you up on social media, you'd looked surprised.

Joon: Well, yeah, especially since the only social media you seem to be connected to is your detective blog. How did you know?

Sherlock: I didn't know; I saw. And I could've sworn I told you this already. The school's housing department gave me enough information to track you down.

Joon just stares at her.

Sherlock: And then, there's your brother and your iPad. You're a college student, and you couldn't have afforded it on your own. You wouldn't have bought it. It's a gift. There are scratches, not just one, but many over time. It's probably been dropped several times, and with no case. I don't see how you would treat this one luxury item like that, so it's had a previous owner. This next bit's easy.

Joon: The tape?

Sherlock: Corey Watson, clearly a family member who's given you his old iPad. Not your dad... This is a young adult's gadget. Could be a cousin, but you're a college student with no place to live. Unlikely you've got an extended family so close to campus, or one that you even like... So, brother it is. Now, Noelle. Three kisses say it's a romantic attachment. I'm thinking it's a young couple, and this Noelle got the money to pay for such an expensive tablet from her parents. She must've given it to him recently. This model's only six months old. The relationship's in trouble. It's been six months, and he's already given it away. If she'd left him, he would've kept it out of sentiment. No, he wanted rid of it. He left HER. He gave the iPad to you, so he wants you to keep in touch while you're at school. You're looking for cheap accommodations, but there's no way you can go to your brother for help, what with your problems with him, and the distance from your classes. Maybe you liked Noelle, or you don't like his underage drinking.

Joon: How can you possibly know about the drinking?

Sherlock: A really good shot in the dark. There are a ton of scratches around the outlet where you plug in the power cord. Every night, he goes to charge it, but his hands are shaking. You'd never see those scratches if the user was sober, and you'd always see them if the user was a drinker. You were right.

Joon: I was right? About what?

Sherlock: The cops don't consult amateurs.

Joon: That... was... awesome!

Sherlock: You really think so?

Joon: Hell yeah! It was extraordinary, quite extraordinary.

Sherlock: You're a college student! Why are you talking like that? And anyway, that sort of thing isn't what people normally say.

Joon: What do people normally say?

Sherlock: Piss off!

Joon: (Jokingly:) This is America! Why are you talking like that?

She and Sherlock burst out into hysterical laughter.

Sherlock: I'm actually a psychology student, by the way, not a criminology student.

Cut to:


	9. Chapter 9

Finally Sherlock and Joon approach Dickenson Hall, coming from around Essex Hall.

Sherlock: (Continuing the conversation from the previous scene:) Did I get anything wrong?

Joon: Corey and I don't get along. We never have. She and Noelle broke up three months ago. And Corey is an underage drinker.

Sherlock: Spot on, then. I didn't expect to be right about everything.

Joon: Corey is short for Corine.

Note that Corine rhymes with Maureen.  
Sherlock pauses a minute, confused. Joon keeps walking a few feet.

Sherlock: Corey's your sister?

Joon: And what exactly are we doing here?

The two keep going, walking down the slight hill in front of the dorms.

Sherlock: (Hissing:) Sister!

Joon: No, seriously, what are we doing here?

Sherlock: There's always something.

Sally Donovan approaches Sherlock and Joon from the stairwell connecting Dickenson Hall with Carroll Hall. The three meet at the bottom of the hill.

Sally: Hello, Freak.

Sherlock: I'm here to see Lestrade.

Sally: Why?

Sherlock: I was invited.

Sally: Why?

Sherlock: I think she wants me to take a look.

Sally: You know what I think, don't you?

Sherlock: Always, Sally. (She pauses and sniffs, and then:) I even know you didn't stay in your own bedroom room last night.

Sally: I, uh, wait... (Pointing to Joon:) Who's this?

Sherlock: My new roommate, Joon Watson. (To Joon:) Joon, Sally Donovan, an old "friend."

Sally: A roommate? Since when does Sherlock Holmes have a roommate? Did the housing department finally realize they screwed up somewhere along the lines?

Joon: Would it just be better if I waited?

Sherlock: No.

Sally punches a speed dial number on her cell phone, and then puts the phone up to her ear, moving a few steps towards the dorm. Sherlock nods her head, motioning to Joon that the two of them should follow Sally.

Sally: Freak's here. Bringing her over.

She hangs up and leads Sherlock and Joon back to the stairwell she came from, and then through another doorway on the opposite side. As they go through, they run into Pippa Anderson, who comes from one floor up.

Sherlock: Ah, Anderson! Here we are again. Our old dorm building from freshman year.

Everyone stops, just outside the door.

Anderson: This is supposed to be a crime scene, or it would be if the actual campus cops actually gave a damn and were here. Either way, I don't want it contaminated. Are we clear on that?

Sherlock: Quite clear. And are your old roommates away for very long? Oh, wait. Lestrade and Donovan are supposed to be your roommates again this year. Or, you three are living in the same off-campus townhouse with some other friends. And... what about that "special friend" of yours? How about him? Is he back this year?

Anderson: Oh, don't pretend you worked that out by yourself. Somebody told you that.

Sherlock: Your deodorant told me that.

Anderson: My deodorant told you that?

Sherlock: It's vanilla scented.

Anderson: Of course I know that! I'm wearing it right now!

Sherlock: So's Sally Donovan. Hers is normally coconut-scented.

Sherlock nods towards Sally. As Anderson turns to look, Sherlock sniffs again.

Sherlock: And... I think it just vaporized. May I go over now?

Anderson: (Turning back to Sherlock:) Now, whatever you're trying to imply...

Sherlock: I'm not implying anything. I'm sure Sally dropped by your room for a little chat, or maybe a homework session, one night, and just so happened to not leave until she had to go to class in the morning.

Sherlock breezes on past Anderson and Sally, going towards Lestrade and some bushes next to the side of Dickenson Hall. She pauses and turns back to everyone else.

Sherlock: And I assume she was on the carpet floor of your room, going by the state of her knees.

Sherlock gives a slight, triumphant grin and continues over to the bushes. Joon follows.

Joon: Well, OK, then.

And we continue to:


	10. Chapter 10

Sherlock and Joon finally meet up with Lestrade.

Lestrade: Who's this?

Sherlock: She's with me.

Lestrade: But... who is she?

Sherlock: Does it matter? I said she's with me. So, what are we doing next to a bush outside your old room?

Lestrade: It's the crime scene. I can give you two minutes, before we risk getting caught by the school.

Sherlock: We may need more time.

Lestrade: Now, we haven't touched anything yet. Her name's Jennifer Wilson, and she's supposed to be staying in my old room. She apparently left her driver's license. Her roommate said she went missing earlier in the week. This missing girl's roommate had gone to class, and then the girl was gone when she'd gotten back. She'd also said that some of her roommate's things had gone missing with her, too.

Lestrade hands the license over to Sherlock, who then pockets it.

Lestrade: You know technically we're not supposed to have this. Her roommate's been trying to get in touch with Jennifer's family.

There's a pause as Sherlock starts to process the information.

Sherlock: Shut up.

Lestrade: I didn't say anything.

Sherlock: But you were thinking. It's annoying.

Lestrade and Joon look at each other like "what's wrong with this crazy chick?"  
Sherlock goes up closer to the bush directly underneath the window of her old room.  
We look closer and see a pink piece of construction paper shoved into the bush. Sherlock pulls it out. It says "Rache," handwritten in all caps. The E looks sloppily written, like the writer's hand had jerked away from the paper in the middle of writing.  
A small title flashes on the screen, one of Sherlock's deductions: "Left-handed writer?" This is followed by another: "Rache, German noun, meaning revenge..." This second deduction fades into another: "Or... Short for the name Rachel?"  
Sherlock tosses the note aside as she leans in even closer to the bush, almost to the point of falling in. She grabs a compact pink umbrella from deeper inside the bush. She undoes the strap holding it together, and then extends it open. A few drops of water drip off it.  
A small title flashes on the screen, another deduction: "Wet? Why?"  
Sherlock smiles and sets down the umbrella.

Lestrade: Got anything?

Sherlock: Not much.

Anderson walks over and picks up the note.

Anderson: She's German. Rache. It's German for revenge. She could be trying to tell us...

Sherlock puts a finger up to Anderson's mouth, shushing the other girl in a rather childish manner.

Sherlock: (Interrupting:) Yes, thank you for your input.

She lightly shoves Anderson out of the way, towards Sally and the stairwell. Anderson drops the note.

Anderson: But... Wait...

Sherlock steps back over to Joon and Lestrade.

Lestrade: So, she's German?

Sherlock: Of course she's not! Wilson isn't even a German name! But she is paying out-of-state tuition. So far, so obvious.

Joon: Sorry... Obvious?

Sherlock: Driver's license, remember?

She pulls it out of her pocket, waves it around a moment, and then puts it back.

Lestrade: What about that note, though?

Sherlock: Joon, what do you think?

Joon: Of the message?

Lestrade: I've got a whole team of criminology students to work that out!

SHERLOCK

Who? Sally and Anderson? They won't work with me.

Lestrade: I'm breaking a bunch of rules letting you over here!

Sherlock: Yes, because you need me.

Lestrade: (A beat, then:) Yes. I do... God help me.

Sherlock: Joon?

Joon: Huh?

She looks from Sherlock to Lestrade.

Lestrade: Oh, do what she says. Help yourself.

Lestrade steps over to the stairwell with Sally and Anderson.

Lestrade: I guess we just sit here and watch them for a bit.

Sherlock goes and grabs the note and brings it over to Joon, and they look it over. The two begin whispering to each other.

Sherlock: Well, Joon?

Joon: What am I doing here?

Sherlock: Helping me make a point.

Joon: We're just supposed to be roommates. I'm supposed to be helping you with homework and crap like that.

Sherlock: Well, this is more fun than school.

Joon: Fun? There's a missing girl!

Sherlock: Perfectly sound analysis, but I was hoping you'd go a bit deeper.

Lestrade walks back over.

Lestrade: Alright, what've you got?

Joon takes the note from Sherlock and looks closer at it. She then goes to pick up the umbrella to look at it.

Joon: Yep.

She looks over at Lestrade, and then at Sherlock.

Joon: Well, uh...

Sherlock: You know what it is.

Joon: She's one of the missing girls. The fourth...?

Lestrade: Sherlock, I said two minutes! I need anything you've got!

Sherlock: The girl is a freshman, and in the Arts Living Learning Community, based on the fact that she's supposed to be staying on the first floor of Dickenson Hall. Your old room, to be exact, judging by which bush we found evidence in, and which window it was under. Judging by the pink things and movie posters you can see through the window on what's obviously her side of the room, the pink paper of the note, and the pink umbrella, she was either a film major or a communications major. It's an alarming amount of pink. Based on the fact that she's from out-of-state, and the fact that she'd disappeared right around move-in, I'd think she'd must have had a pretty large suitcase to bring enough clothes and things to last the semester, or at least until she could go home for Thanksgiving break.

Lestrade: Suitcase? What...?

Sherlock: Yes, suitcase.

Lestrade: Oh, for God's sake, if you're just making this up...

Sherlock: Lestrade, you said that the roommate told you some of the missing girl's things went missing at the same time. Obviously she took enough of them to need to need to take her suitcase with her. It's simple.

Joon: That's brilliant.

Sherlock glances over at her roommate.

Joon: Sorry.

Lestrade: But why the wet umbrella?

Sherlock: It's obvious, isn't it?

Joon: It's not obvious to me...

Sherlock: Dear God, what is it like in your funny little brains? It must be so boring! She poured water all over the umbrella and closed it up to make it look like she'd been out in the rain, but look the note. Look your surroundings. Everything's dry. It hasn't rained since before move-in. So... The umbrella is a red herring.

Joon: That's fantastic.

Sherlock: You do know you keep saying those things out loud, right?

Joon: Sorry. I'll shut up now.

Sherlock: No, it's... It's cool.

Lestrade: Why do you keep saying suitcase?

Sherlock: Yes, where is it? She must've had a phone, or a laptop, or an iPad, too. Find out who Rachel is.

Lestrade: Wait, she was writing Rachel?

Sherlock: (Sarcastically:) No, she was writing an angry note in German! Of course she was writing Rachel!

Sherlock starts getting a bit worked up, pacing around.

Sherlock: There's no other word it could be! But the question is, why did she leave a note when she was obviously going to unwillingly disappear for a while?

Lestrade: Oh. My. God. How did you know she'd taken her suitcase with her?

Sherlock: We already went over this. The roommate said she'd taken things with her, and judging by the state of the missing girl's half of the room, it's barely been lived in. Only decorations seem to be left. Now where is it? If we find the suitcase, we can probably find the girl... Or come close to finding the girl.

Lestrade: Well, obviously it's not here.

Sherlock: Say that again.

Lestrade: Obviously... it's... not... here?

Sherlock starts to go over to the stairwell, jumping on the chance to look for the suitcase.

Sherlock: (To Sally and Anderson:) Suitcase! Have either of you two found a suitcase?

Lestrade: There isn't a suitcase!

Sherlock turns back to Lestrade.

Sherlock: This girl apparently came and left. Three girls didn't show up to live with you three...

She points to Lestrade, Sally, and Anderson.

Sherlock: There are clear signs. Even you can't miss them!

Lestrade: Right. Yeah. Thanks. And...?

Sherlock: It's kidnapping. All of them. I don't know how. These girls didn't just quit school on their own. They're serial kidnappings. We've got ourselves a serial kidnapper. I love those. There's always something to look forward to.

Sherlock continues walking over to the stairwell.

Lestrade: Why do you say that?

Sherlock:Her suitcase! Oh, come on! Where is her suitcase? Did she eat it? She had to have taken it with her when she left. There's got to be a reason why these girls disappeared so close to moving in. There's got to be a way to find and identify this last girl's suitcase. The suitcase is the key.

She pushes past Sally and Anderson, and stops outside the door to the stairwell, turning to Lestrade and Joon.

Sherlock: Oh...! Oh!

Lestrade: Sherlock? What is it? What?

Sherlock: Serial kidnappers, always hard. You have to wait for them to make a mistake.

Lestrade: We can't just wait!

Sherlock: Oh, we're done waiting! Look at all this, really look! Houston, we have a mistake! Find out who Jennifer Wilson's family and friends are. Find Rachel!

Sherlock turns and starts to go through the stairwell.

Lestrade: Of course. Yeah. But what mistake?

Sherlock turns back for a second.

Sherlock: Pink! And the fact that it's Wednesday feels significant for some reason. But PINK!

Sherlock runs through the stairwell.

Anderson: OK, let's get on with it.

Joon starts to follow Sherlock as Lestrade talks to Sally and Anderson.

And we follow through to:


	11. Chapter 11

Joon exits the stairwell. She starts up the small incline on this side of the dorms, using a small staircase outside Carroll Hall. It seems that Sally has followed her. The stop at the top of the hill.

Sally: She's gone.

Joon: Who, Sherlock Holmes?

Sally: Yeah. She just took off. She does that sometimes. A lot.

Joon: Is she coming back?

Sally: Didn't look like it.

Joon: Right. Right...

Sally starts to walk away.

Joon: Yes... Sorry, where am I?

Sally: University Commons.

Joon: Do you know how to get to Southside? It's just, uh, well...

Sally: Uh, hello! It's right over there, on the other side of Essex Hall! Everyone knows that.

She points in the general direction of Southside. Joon starts to head towards the prospect of food.

Joon: Thanks.

Sally: But you're not her friend. She doesn't have friends.

Joon turns back to Sally.

Sally: So, who are you?

Joon: I'm... I'm nobody. I just met her, after we got put together by the housing department.

Sally: OK, a bit of advice, then. Stay away from that chick as much as possible. I know it'll be hard to do that sometimes, seeing as you're stuck together. Unless you can get lucky and score a room transfer from the housing department.

Joon: Why should I stay away from her?

Sally: You know why she's here?

Joon: To get an education?

Sally: No, I mean this crime scene. Do you know why she's here? She's not paid or anything. Well, none of us are, but she's not a criminology student like Lestrade, Anderson, and I are. She likes it. She gets off on it. The weirder the crime, the more he gets off on it. And you know what? One day, just showing up won't be enough. One day, we'll be standing around a body, and Sherlock Holmes will be the one that put it there.

Joon: Why would she do that?

Sally: Because she's a psychopath. Psychopaths get bored.

Lestrade pops out of the stairwell between Carroll Hall and Dickenson Hall.

Lestrade: Donovan! Get over here.

Sally: Coming!

She walks back to meet Lestrade at the stairwell. As she does, she calls over to Joon:

Sally: Stay away from Sherlock Holmes.

Joon: (Muttering to herself:) Well, OK, then.

She sets off to Southside. She stops as her cell phone starts ringing, and she pulls it out of her pocket, glancing at the Caller ID.

Joon: Whose number is that?

She clicks the answer button and immediately hangs up. Then she once again starts towards Southside.

She barely gets around Essex Hall when her phone rings again. She looks at the Caller ID, stops again, and:

Joon: It's that weird number again.

Joon decides to actually answer this time.

Joon: Hello?

A young woman is on the other end of the call, heard on voice-over.

Mysterious Woman: There's a security camera at the corner of Southside. Do you see it?

Joon hesitates a second, and then:

Joon: Who is this? Who's speaking?

Mysterious Woman: Do you see the camera, Joon Watson?

Joon looks up.

Joon: Yeah. I see it.

Mysterious Woman: There is another camera on the Skyline gym next to Southside. Do you see it?

Joon: Yeah.

Mysterious Woman: And do you see a familiar girl coming towards you?

Sure enough, Joon's neighbor and Sherlock's former RA, Anthea Hudson, still with her backpack, comes out of Southside and heads for Joon.

Joon: How are you doing this?

Mysterious Woman: Go talk to your lunch date, Joon. I would make some sort of threat, but I'm sure your situation is quite clear to you.

A click is heard as the mysterious woman ends the call. Anthea meets up with Joon as Joon puts her phone back in her pocket.

Joon: (Mostly to herself, now that the call disconnected:) No! It's not clear! Who are you?

Anthea: Hey, Joon. How's it going?

Joon: I take it we're not actually going to Southside after all?

The two of them start walking - past Southside. They start making awkward small talk until Joon changes the subject by asking:

Joon: Is there any point in asking where you're taking me?

Anthea: None at all, Joon.

Joon: OK.

Cut to:


	12. Chapter 12

MUSIC CUE: "Dark" by Thomas Regin, Nancy Drew: The Deadly Device soundtrack.  
Anthea and Joon arrive at the Cross Cottage, looking out at Mason Pond from a small area of forest between the Pond and the Student Apartments.  
They are "met" by a young woman, about as tall as Anthea, a grad student in her mid- to late-twenties with dark blond hair. She's wearing a jacket, even though it's still technically the end of summer. This is the same mysterious woman who had previously called Joon's cell phone.  
As Joon and Anthea approach the mysterious woman from behind, they notice she's standing in between the two benches outside the cabin, staring out at the pond, propped up by a large, black umbrella.  
Anthea nudges Joon forwards, and then leaves Joon alone with the mysterious woman, though in all actuality, Anthea hasn't strayed too far - hiding just on the edge of the trees. The mysterious woman turns to Joon.

Mysterious Woman: Have a seat, Joon.

She indicates one of the benches by using her umbrella as a pointer.

Joon: Why did you call me? I mean, it was very clever and all that, but, uh... You could've just skipped all that and let me meet Anthea at Southside for lunch like the two of us were planning anyway.

Mysterious Woman: When one is avoiding the attention of Sherlock Holmes, one learns to be discreet. Hence this place. Sherlock was originally supposed to go to Southside for lunch today, too. Or am I wrong? Go on. Sit down.

She umbrella-points towards the bench again.

Joon: I don't wanna sit down.

Mysterious Woman: Alright, fine. You don't seem very afraid.

Joon: You don't seem very frightening.

Mysterious Woman: (Chuckling:) Yes... The bravery of the undergrad. Bravery is by far the kindest word for stupidity, don't you think, Joon? (Becoming more serious:) What is your connection to Sherlock Holmes?

Joon: I don't... have one. I barely know her. I only just met her... Over the weekend. Sunday.

Mysterious Woman: And since Sunday, you've moved in with her, and now you're solving crimes together. Might we expect a happy announcement by the end of the week?

Joon: The "moving in together" was the housing department's idea. Wait, who are you?

Mysterious Woman: An interested party.

Joon: You're interested in Sherlock? Why? I'm... guessing you're not friends?

Mysterious Woman: You've met her. How many friends do you imagine she has? I am the closest thing to a friend Sherlock Holmes is capable of having.

Joon: And what's that?

Mysterious Woman: An enemy.

Joon: An enemy?

Mysterious Woman: In her mind, certainly. If you were to ask her, she'd probably say archenemy. She does love to be dramatic.

Joon: (Vaguely sarcastically:) Well, thank God you're above all that!

A text message alert goes off on Joon's phone. She pulls it out of her pocket.  
As we see her reading the message, we see what was written, floating out of her phone as a small title. The message says: "Baker Street. Come at once, if convenient. SH." Each fractured sentence is on its own separate line. The title fades out.

Mysterious Woman: (As Joon looks away:) I hope I'm not distracting you.

Joon puts her phone back in her pocket.

Joon: You're not distracting me at all.

Mysterious Woman: Do you plan to continue your association with Sherlock Holmes?

Joon: Isn't it a bit too late to ask the housing department if I can get a new roommate, now that the school year has started?

Mysterious Woman: There are ways to get it changed...

Joon: Anyway, I could be wrong... but, I think that's really none of your business...

Mysterious Woman: It could be.

Joon: It really couldn't.

Mysterious Woman: If you do decide to stay at...

She pulls a small notebook out of her jacket pocket and reads:

Mysterious Woman: ...Two-hundred-twenty-one-B Baker Street, I'd be happy to pay you a meaningful sum of money on a regular basis to ease your way.

She puts the notebook back in her pocket.

Joon: Why?

Mysterious Woman: Because you're a college student. You have no money.

Joon: You're a college student, too, right? How do you have money?

Mysterious Woman: I'm a grad student, actually, so I get your point... very much.

Joon: You'll give me money... in exchange for what?

Mysterious Woman: Information. Nothing indiscreet. Nothing you'd feel... uncomfortable with. Just tell me what she's up to.

Joon: Why?

Mysterious Woman: I worry about her. Constantly.

Joon: That's nice of you. Maybe?

Mysterious Woman: But I would prefer for various reasons that my concern go unmentioned. We have what you call a... difficult relationship.

Joon: Hence the "archenemy?"

A text message alert goes off on Joon's phone. She pulls it out of her pocket.  
As we see her reading the message, we see what was written, floating out of her phone as a small title. The message says: "If inconvenient, come anyway. SH." Each fractured sentence is on its own separate line. The title fades out.  
Joon puts her phone back in her pocket, but doesn't remove her hand.

Joon: Um... No thanks. I'll pass on your offer.

Mysterious Woman: But I haven't even mentioned a figure yet...

Joon: Don't bother with one.

Mysterious Woman: You're very loyal, very quickly.

Joon: No, I'm not. I'm just not interested. I can pay my own way through school, thanks. And I have been.

Mysterious Woman: (Pulling the notebook out of her jacket pocket again:) "Trust issues," your blog says.

Joon: What's that?

Mysterious Woman: Could it be that you've decided to trust Sherlock Holmes, of all people?

Joon: Who says I trust her?

Mysterious Woman: You don't seem the kind to make friends easily.

Joon: Are we done?

Mysterious Woman: You tell me.

Joon starts to walk away, and the mysterious woman puts the notebook back in her pocket.

Mysterious Woman: I imagine certain people have already warned you to stay away from her, but I can tell from your right hand that you're not going to.

Joon: My what?

Mysterious Woman: Show me.

Joon takes her hand out of her pocket, still holding the phone.

Mysterious Woman: Oh, come on. You can't even put your phone away.

The mysterious woman leans in closer to the phone.

Mysterious Woman: And you haven't exited out of the message you got... And it's from Sherlock, isn't it? It's remarkable, isn't it?

Joon: What is?

Mysterious Woman: Most people blunder around this school, and all they see are classroom buildings, student centers, and dorms. When you walk with Sherlock Holmes, you see the battlefield. You've seen it already at your old school, haven't you?

Joon: What are you talking about?

Mysterious Woman: You've been told that you get overly stressed about school, enough to give you panic attacks.

Joon: Who the hell are you? How do you know that?

Mysterious Woman: They've gotten it backwards. You're under stress right now, and you're fine. You're not haunted by the "battlefield" of school, Joon Watson. You love it. Welcome back.

The mysterious woman walks away, twirling her umbrella.  
A text message alert goes off on Joon's phone. She elects to ignore it.

Mysterious Woman: (As she walks, without looking back:) Time to choose a side, Joon Watson.

She disappears from view as Anthea returns, still with her backpack.

Anthea: I'm to show you back to Baker Street, new girl.

Joon finally looks at her new text message.  
As we see her reading the message, we see what was written, floating out of her phone as a small title. The message says: "Could be dangerous. SH." Each fractured sentence is on its own separate line. The title fades out.  
Joon puts her phone back in her pocket.

Joon: Alright. Let's go.

Joon follows Anthea as she starts towards Baker Street.

Cut to:


	13. Chapter 13

Joon and Anthea arrive at the doorstep of 221B Baker Street.

Joon: Listen, this grad student who apparently hired you... Any chance you could not tell her this is where I went?

Anthea: Um... Sure.

She gives a fake smile.

Joon: You've told her already, haven't you?

Anthea: Yeah.

Joon: So, uh, about lunch at Southside today...

Anthea: Sorry. I'm about to be late for class.

Joon: OK.

Anthea runs off, and Joon unlocks the door and walks into the house.

Fade to:


	14. Chapter 14

MUSIC CUE: "Happy" by Pharell Williams, Despicable Me 2 soundtrack.  
Sherlock is in the living room, seemingly asleep on the couch, her legs perfectly straight and her arms out at odd angles.  
But it turns out, she's not actually asleep. With her eyes still closed, she sticks out her right hand, which was dangling from the couch, and reaches for something on a nearby coffee table, and then slaps something on her left arm. She then "falls asleep" again.  
This fades to an overhead close-up shot of Sherlock jolting awake. Joon walks in as Sherlock starts waving her hands in front of her own face. It almost looks as if she's imitating the hand movements in Madonna's "Vogue" video or the ones in in The Hillywood Show's Lady Gaga Christmas Special parody.

Joon: What're you doing? Impersonating Madonna? Or Lady Gaga?

Sherlock: Smiley face sticker.

She lifts up her left sleeve to reveal what she'd slapped on herself: Three large smiley face stickers.

Sherlock: Helps me think. It's impossible to sustain a Taco Bell habit on each semester-long meal plan budget. Bad news for brain work.

Joon: It's good news for healthy food.

Sherlock: Oh! Healthy food. Healthy food is boring.

Joon: Why do you have three stickers? And what do they have to do with tacos?

Sherlock: It's a three-sticker problem. And haven't you heard that "Happy" song by Pharrell?

Joon: OK... (A beat as she's ignored by Sherlock, then:) Well...? (Another beat, then:) You asked me to come. I'm assuming it's important?

Sherlock thinks a moment.

Sherlock: Oh, yeah! Of course! Can I borrow your phone?

JOON

My phone?!

Sherlock: I don't want to use mine. Always a chance someone'll recognize it. It's on my blog.

Joon: Anthea's got a phone. You know, our neighbor? Your old RA? You could've asked her before she ran off to class. Or, don't we have a land line?

Sherlock: She wasn't there. She must've been in another class or something. And, really, who uses land lines anymore, even if we do technically have one?

Joon: Yeah, or something... Anyway, I was on the other side of campus!

Sherlock: There was no hurry.

Joon: You just said it was important!

Sherlock sticks out her hand. Joon sighs, pulls the phone out of her pocket, and passes it over.

Joon: So, what's this about? The case?

Sherlock: Her case.

Joon: Her case?

Sherlock: Her suitcase, yes, obviously. The kidnapper took the suitcase with her in the act. First big mistake. With the others, it just looked like the other girls forgot to show up.

Joon: OK. The suitcase was taken. So?

Sherlock: It's no use. There's no other way. We'll have to risk it. On the mantle, under the skull, there's a number. I want you to send a text.

She tries to pass Joon's phone back to her. Joon, however, doesn't bite quite yet.

Joon: You brought me all the way over here... to send a text message?!

Sherlock: Text, yes. The number under Piper the Skull.

Joon reluctantly takes her phone back, but doesn't go to get the phone number.

Joon: The skull's name is Piper?

Sherlock: Don't ask.

Joon shifts awkwardly, still not going to get the number.

Sherlock: What's up?

Joon: I just met a friend of yours?

Sherlock: (Confused:) A friend?

Joon: An enemy.

Sherlock: Oh, OK. Which one?

Joon: Well, your archenemy, according to her. Do people even have archenemies?

Sherlock: Did she offer you money to spy on me?

Joon: Yes.

Sherlock: Did you take it?

Joon: Hell no!

Sherlock: Pity. We could've split it. Think it through next time.

Joon: Who is she?

Sherlock: The most dangerous woman you'll ever meet, and currently, not my problem. Under the skull. The phone number.

Joon: OK, fine.

She goes over to get it.

Joon: Jennifer Wilson. That was... Hang on. Isn't that the kidnapped freshman?

Sherlock: Yes, but it's not important. Just text the number.

Joon starts to, slowly.

Sherlock: Are you doing it?

Joon: Yes.

Sherlock: Have you done it?

Joon: Slow down, woman! God!

Sherlock: Text these words exactly: "What happened at the McDonald's at University Mall? I must have blacked out. Please meet me at University Mall."

As Sherlock dictates the message and Joon types it, we see the words come up as a small title, like the ones used previously for other messages.

Joon pauses the text.

Joon: You blacked out?

Sherlock: What? No, no.

Sherlock jumps off the couch. She walks up over the table, temporarily disappearing into the hall. Joon finishes the message.

Sherlock: Type and send it. Quickly.

She comes back with a pink suitcase.

Joon: What's the restaurant?

Sherlock: McDonald's. Hurry!

Sherlock sets the suitcase on a chair and zips it open. She sits down in another chair next to it. Joon finishes the message and sends it, turning towards Sherlock.

Joon: That's... That's the pink freshman's suitcase. That's Jennifer Wilson's suitcase?

Sherlock: Yes. Obviously.

There's a slight awkward pause.

Sherlock: Oh, maybe I should mention that I didn't kidnap her.

Joon: I never said you did.

Sherlock: Why not? Given the text I just had you send and the fact that I have her suitcase, that's a perfectly logical assumption.

Joon: Do people usually assume you're the villain?

Sherlock: Sometimes, yeah.

She jumps up onto her chair, sitting on her feet.

Joon: OK...

Joon sits on a third chair.

Joon: How did you get this?

Sherlock: By looking.

Joon: Where?

Sherlock: The kidnapper must've taken her to the Giant at University Mall yesterday evening or early this morning. Nobody could be seen with this case without drawing attention themselves, not after move-in weekend. So, obviously, they'd feel more likely to get rid of it. Wouldn't have taken more than five minutes to realize the mistake. (Over footage of Sherlock rolling the suitcase away from the dumpster at Southside:) I checked all the dumpsters on-campus, and oddly enough, it was right near where we started, on the other side of Essex Hall from Dickenson Hall. It was in the one that Southside uses for their waste.

The scene returns to the living room.

Joon: Pink. You got all that because you realized that the suitcase would be pink?

Sherlock: It had to be pink. Obviously.

Joon: Why didn't I think of that?

Sherlock: Because you're an idiot.

Joon: What? Hey!

Sherlock: No, no. Don't look at me like that. Practically everyone is. Now look. Do you see what's missing?

Joon: From the suitcase? How could I?

Sherlock: Her phone! Where's her cell phone? There was no phone at the crime scene, there's no phone in the suitcase... We know she had one. You just texted it.

Joon: Maybe she left it in her dorm room? You said you could see there was still stuff on both sides of the room from outside the window...

Sherlock: Oh, come on. She's a college student. College students are obsessed with technology. She'd never leave it in her room.

Joon: Oh. Yeah. Wait, why did I just send that text?

Sherlock: Well, the question is, where is the phone now?

Joon: She could've lost it?

Sherlock: Yes, or...?

Joon: The kidnapper. You think the kidnapper has the phone...?

Sherlock: Maybe the kidnapper took it from her to keep her from calling for help. Or the kidnapper took it out of her suitcase. Either way, the kidnapper probably has it.

Joon: Sorry... What are we doing? Did I just text a kidnapper? What good will that do?

Joon's phone rings. She picks it up off the arm of the chair she's in.

Sherlock: A few hours after this last girl, and now the kidnapper receives a text that can only be from her. If somebody just found that phone, they'd ignore a text like that. But the kidnapper would panic.

She slams the suitcase shut and gets up.

Joon: Have you talked to those girls from earlier?

Sherlock: Four girls have been kidnapped. There's no time to talk to criminology students.

Joon: So why are you talking to me?

Sherlock: The skull never answers.

Joon: So, I'm basically filling in for your skull?

Sherlock: Chill. You're doing great. Well?

Joon: Well, what?

Sherlock: Well, you could just go to class... Or do homework...

Joon: You want me to come with you?

Sherlock: I like company when I go out, and I think better when I talk out loud. The skull just attracts attention, and it gets boring pretending I'm a theater student rehearsing for Hamlet all the time... And it looks suspicious, because the theater department obviously doesn't do just one play a year...

Joon laughs.

Sherlock:What? Is there a problem?

Joon: Yeah. Sally Donovan.

Sherlock: What about her?

Joon: She said that you'd get off on this, that you'd enjoy it.

Sherlock: And I said it'd be dangerous, but here you are. Come on.

She exits the house. Joon sits there a moment, and then gets up to follow Sherlock.

Joon: Dammit, woman!

Cut to:


	15. Chapter 15

Sherlock and Joon walk around campus towards University Mall.

Joon: So, where are we going? Other than skipping school and eating a late lunch?

Sherlock: We're on a stakeout. We're waiting for the kidnapper. I said for her to come to the McDonald's because it's right by the Giant. Of course you can't get all of your groceries at the general stores on campus...

Joon: You think she's stupid enough to come back here?

Sherlock: No, I think she's brilliant enough. I love the brilliant ones. They're all so desperate to get caught.

Joon: Why?

Sherlock: Appreciation. Applause. At long last, the spotlight. That's the frailty of genius, and a twenty-something college student, Joon, it needs an audience.

Joon: Yeah?

Sherlock: This is her hunting ground: the edges of campus. Now that we know where all of the victims were taken from, that changes everything. All of the victims were taken at the very beginning of the school year. Nobody saw them go. Nobody saw them not show up. Think, Joon! Who do we trust, even though we don't know them that well at the beginning of the year? Who passes unnoticed, wherever they go? Who hunts in the middle of a crowd?

Joon: I dunno. Who?

Sherlock: I have no idea. You hungry?

Cut to:


	16. Chapter 16

Sherlock and Joon exit the McDonald's at the University Mall shopping center, about a block off-campus, near the Eagle Bank Arena, formerly known as the Patriot Center. They have to-go bags of food, as well as drinks. They sit down at one of the tables provided by the restaurant to eat their late lunch and start their stakeout.

Sherlock: OK, now keep your eyes on the door.

Joon: She's not just going to waltz out here with food, is she? She'd need to be mad!

Sherlock: She has kidnapped four people.

Joon: OK...

A young woman in her early twenties age comes up to Sherlock and Joon. This is ANGELA SCHAEFER, one of Sherlock's classmates, and part of her network.

Angela: Sherlock! Hey, thanks for paying for my food! I left my wallet in my dorm! So, is this your first time out together?

Joon: Oh, I'm not her date.

Angela: This woman kept me from flunking out!

Sherlock: This is Angela. Freshman year, I helped her with a bunch of her final projects... both semesters.

Angela: She cleared my name.

Sherlock: I cleared it a bit. Have you seen anything yet?

Angela: No, not yet. But for this woman, I'd be out of school at a dead-end job!

Sherlock: You do have a dead-end job during the summers, and after class every day.

Angela: I'll leave you two alone. Be more romantic that way.

She walks away. As she does so Joon calls out:

Joon: I'm not her date! And how can you be romantic at a McDonald's?

Sherlock: We might as well actually eat and make it look like we're not on a stakeout. It could be a long wait.

Sherlock and Joon start to eat. Sherlock seems to space out as she focuses more on the stakeout than her food.

Joon: People don't have archenemies.

Sherlock jumps back into focus.

Sherlock: I'm sorry?

Joon: In real life. There are no archenemies in real life. It just... doesn't happen.

Sherlock: Doesn't it? That sounds boring.

Joon: So, who did I meet?

Sherlock: What do people have in their "real lives," then?

Joon: Friends? People they know, people they like, people they don't like, girlfriends, boyfriends...

Sherlock: Yep. That's what I thought. Boring.

Joon: You don't have a boyfriend, then?

Sherlock: Boyfriend? No. Not really my area.

Joon: Huh... Oh, right. You got a girlfriend? Which is totally cool, by the way.

Sherlock: I know it is.

There's a quick, slightly awkward pause.

Joon: So, you do have a girlfriend, then.

Sherlock: (Quickly:) Nope.

Joon: Oh. Right. OK. You're unattached. Like me. Fine. Good.

Joon continues to eat. Sherlock thinks a minute, and then:

Sherlock: Joon, um... I think you should know I consider myself married to my work, and while I'm flattered, I'm really not looking for...

Joon: (Interrupting:) No, I'm... I'm not asking. I'm just saying it's totally cool.

Sherlock: OK, good. Thank you.

A pair of young women in their late teens or early twenties, obviously students at GMU like Sherlock and Joon, pass by. They go inside the McDonald's. Sherlock points them out, just as they walk in the door.

Sherlock: Look. They go to our school.

Joon: Well, I'd think so. I mean, isn't it common for students to eat here? We're apparently only two seconds off-campus.

Sherlock: But why wear spirit wear this early in the school year?

Joon: I don't know! Maybe they're proud of going to college?

Sherlock: Or maybe one of them is sending us a message. Clever. Is it clever? Why is it clever?

Joon: That's her?

Sherlock: Shush! Don't stare!

Joon: But you're staring!

They start shoving each other lightly in a slightly childish fight.

Sherlock: But we can't both be staring! Come on, stop acting like a five-year-old.

She and Joon stop fighting just as the two girls come back out of the McDonald's, suspiciously without food. They start to leave the shopping center. Sherlock gets up and follows them after they pass.

Joon: Um, OK!

She gets up and follows everyone else. The camera lingers on the food that got left, for just a moment.  
One of the two girls that Sherlock and Joon are following glances back. She notices that they're being followed and nudges the other girl, as if to let her know... And they start to run away. Sherlock and Joon give chase.  
At the far end of the shopping center, the two girls being pursued cross the street onto campus, heading towards the Eagle Bank Arena.  
Just as Sherlock and Joon get to the intersection, we see that the stoplight turns red.  
We follow the two girls being chased a moment, and then quickly cut to Sherlock and Joon, apparently given the green light.  
This is followed by a chase scene similar to the one in Sherlock. In this case, London and its map are replaced with George Mason University's Fairfax and its map.  
At the end of the chase, Sherlock and Joon finally meet up with the other two girls outside the Pilot House campus late-night restaurant and the Hampton Roads dorms, on the opposite side of campus from where they'd started.  
Sherlock thinks on her feet to come up with a ruse to get the girls talking.

Sherlock: Hey! Molly! So, do you have the notes from class earlier!

She pretends to realize her "mistake."

Sherlock: Oh, sorry, you're not Molly! I'm Jill Lestrade.

Sherlock quickly flashes a school ID.

Sherlock: I thought you were one of my classmates. I needed to borrow some of her class notes for some homework we have due tomorrow, and I don't actually have her phone number. Sorry! Have a good semester!

Sherlock and Joon walk a few away as the two other girls give them weird looks.

Joon: So... Basically... They were just random students. And I was right.

Sherlock: Basically.

Joon: Not the kidnapper.

Sherlock: Not the kidnapper, no.

Joon: So, wait... That's not your ID. That is Jill Lestrade's! Where'd you get it?

Sherlock: Yeah, I pickpocket her when she's annoying. You can keep that one. Use up some of her meal plans. I've got plenty more at home.

Joon starts cracking up.

Sherlock: What?

Joon: Nothing... It's just... "Have a good semester!"

They look back towards the two girls, who are talking to someone, apparently a teacher or something, about how they were followed by Sherlock and Joon. Or, if a school police cadet can be found, see if they'll agree to be in this bit.

Sherlock: Got your breath back?

Joon: Ready when you are.

They run off.

Cut to:


	17. Chapter 17

The door to the Baker Street residence closes. The camera rests a moment on the house number, 221B.  
Now inside the townhouse, Sherlock and Joon collapse with their backs to one of the walls of the main entrance hallway. They're both out of breath from running across to the other side of the campus, and off again to their house.

Joon: (Panting between each line:) That was ridiculous. That was the most ridiculous thing... I've ever done!

Sherlock: And you're a pre-med student who transferred schools halfway through your junior year of being an undergrad!

They both crack up the best they can while still pretty much out of breath from their death run.

Joon: Plenty of other people transfer schools at random points in their university schooling! Why aren't we back at McDonald's? We didn't finish lunch! Or in class like normal students?

Sherlock: They can keep an eye out. It was a long shot anyway.

Joon: Who can keep a lookout? What are you talking about? What were we even doing there?

Sherlock: Oh, just passing the time. And proving a point.

Joon: What point?

Sherlock: You.

Before Joon can ask what Sherlock's talking about, Sherlock accurately predicts that someone's about to ring the doorbell. It's Anthea Hudson.

Sherlock: Anthea, you were right. Joon is going to be a great roommate.

Joon: Says who?

Anthea: Says the girl who's followed me over here.

Anthea walks into the townhouse and past Sherlock and Joon, dropping her backpack by the foot of the stairs.  
It turns out that the girl who followed Anthea was Angela Schaefer, the girl who'd previously met Sherlock and Joon at McDonald's. She has the bag of food that Sherlock and Joon had left at the restaurant. Joon approaches her.

Angela: You two forgot your food. I had to text Sherlock to find out where you guys had run off to, so I could bring it to you.

Joon: Um... Thank you...

Joon starts to take the bag while turning to look back at Sherlock, who smiles. Joon then notices that the bag of food is considerably lighter than it was when they'd run off without it. She pulls an empty food wrapper out of the bag.

Joon: What the hell happened to our food? It's gone!

Angela: Well, I was hungry, and I didn't actually end up getting anything when I was at McDonald's, so I may've sampled your food... A little bit...

Joon: Well... Thanks for bringing the bag to us...?

She turns and goes back into the townhouse.  
As we follow Joon back in, we see Anthea coming back to the entry hall from the living room.

Anthea: Sherlock, what have you done?

Sherlock: Anthea, what are you talking about?

Anthea: In the living room...

Sherlock and Joon rush into the living room. We see Jill Lestrade sitting in Sherlock's favorite chair.

Sherlock: (Angrily:) What are you doing?

Lestrade: Well, I knew you'd find the suitcase. I'm not stupid, no matter what you say, Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock: You can't just break into our townhouse!

Lestrade: You can't withhold evidence! And I didn't break in!

Joon: Wait, how did you even get in our house? You're criminology students, not actual cops yet. You don't have a warrant!

Lestrade: OK, technically I may've gone to the housing department, pretending I was one of your roommates and had lost my key. It's a dirty move, I know, but Joon, Sherlock's done worse. But that's not the point. Again, I'm not breaking into your townhouse!

Sherlock: Well, what do you call this, then?

Lestrade: The taco version of a drugs bust!

Joon: Seriously? This chick's a junkie? Have you met her?

Sherlock: Joon...

Lestrade: For Taco Bell, yes.

Joon: I'm pretty sure you could search this townhouse all day, and you wouldn't even find a salsa packet!

Sherlock: Joon, you probably want to shut up now.

Joon: But come on...

Sherlock glares at her roommate.

Joon: No...

Sherlock: What?

Joon: You? Obsessed with Taco Bell?

Sherlock: Shut up. (Turning to Lestrade:) I'm not your sniffer dog!

Lestrade: No, Anderson's my sniffer dog.

On cue, Pippa Anderson comes in from the kitchen, giving a princess wave.

Sherlock: Anderson, what are you doing here on a taco bust?

Anderson: Oh, I volunteered.

Lestrade: They both did. They're not actually planning on being drug cops when they get done with school, but they were cool with coming along.

Sally Donovan also comes in from the kitchen, holding a jar.

Sally: Are these human eyes?

Sherlock: Put those back!

Sally: But they were in the microwave!

Sherlock: It was an experiment!

Joon: What kind of a freaky science class are you taking?

Lestrade: Keep looking, you two.

Sally and Anderson disappear back into the kitchen. Lestrade gets out of Sherlock's chair.

Lestrade: Or you could help us properly, and I'll tell them to stand down.

Sherlock: This is childish!

Lestrade: Well, I'm dealing with a child! Sherlock, this is our case, since the real cops won't do a damn thing. I'm letting you in, but do not go off on your own. Are we clear?

Sherlock: So, you set up a pretend taco bust to bully me?

Lestrade: It stops being pretend if we find anything.

Sherlock: I am clean!

Lestrade: Is your townhouse? All of it?

Sherlock: I haven't even gone to get taco ingredients at Giant since last school year!

Lestrade: Neither have I! So let's work together. We found Rachel.

Sherlock: Who is she?

Lestrade: Jennifer Wilson's younger sister, her only sibling.

Sherlock: Her sister? Why would she write her sister's name? Why?

Anderson pops back out of the kitchen.

Anderson: Never mind that! We found the suitcase! According to someone...

Sally: (Fake coughing from off-camera:) Sherlock!

Anderson: ...The kidnapper has the suitcase! And we found it in the hands of our favorite psychopath!

Sherlock: I'm not a psychopath! I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research. (To Lestrade:) You need to bring Rachel in to question her. I need to question her.

Lestrade: She's dead.

Anderson goes back to the kitchen again.

Sherlock: Excellent!

Joon: "Excellent?" Wait, what?

Sherlock: (Ignoring her roommate:) How, when, and why? Is there a connection? There has to be!

Lestrade: Well, I doubt it, since she's been dead for a year. Rachel was Jennifer Wilson's sister, who was 14 when she was killed by a drunk driver last year while walking home from her middle school one afternoon.

Sherlock: Oh, that's... That's not right! How... Why would she do that? Why?

Anderson: Why would she think of her dead sister in what she apparently thought were going to be her last moments? Yep. Sociopath. I'm seeing it now.

Sherlock: She didn't think about her sister. She scratched her name onto a piece of paper. She was being kidnapped! It took effort. She was probably straining, trying to do it while being dragged off.

Joon: Wait, so, this is a kidnapping... Maybe for her to have opened the door to her room in the first place, the kidnapper must've talked to the girl... Someone had to have let the kidnapper in. I mean, don't the dorm buildings need the key cards on the student IDs to get in? What if the kidnapper didn't live on the same floor as Jennifer? And maybe the kidnapper used the death of her sister somehow?

Sherlock: Yeah, but that was months ago! Why would she still be upset?

And then there's an awkward pause, with the exception of the faint sounds of Anderson and Sally shuffling around in the kitchen.

Sherlock: Not good?

Joon: A bit not good, yeah.

Sherlock: If you were being kidnapped, and you thought you could die, what would you say?

Joon: I dunno... "Please, God, let me live."

Sherlock: Use your imagination!

Joon: I don't have to.

Sherlock: What?

Joon: My old school was in a bad part of town!

Sherlock: So?

Joon: Shit happened there! It was the ghetto!

Sherlock: Yeah, but if you were clever, really clever. Jennifer Wilson, leaving the message, she was clever. She's trying to tell us something.

Anthea walks in from the hallway.

Anthea: Isn't the doorbell working? Your classmate's here, Sherlock.

Sherlock: I didn't call any of my classmates. Go away!

Anthea: Oh dear, you girls are making such a mess! What are they looking for?

Joon: It's a taco bust, Anthea!

Anderson and Sally come in from the kitchen.

Anthea: But I just had them for lunch, on the way back from class, since I never got to go to Southside...

Joon: But... Didn't I see you coming out of Southside before you took me to see...

Sherlock: (Shouting:) Shut up, everybody! Don't move, don't speak, don't breathe, don't blink! I'm trying to think! Wait, Anderson, turn the other way. Your face is annoying.

Sally goes back into the kitchen.

Anderson: What? My face is annoying?

Sherlock: Yes, your face! Also, you're no help at anything, just like that time with the fail tape when we all tried to build the cardboard board fort!

Anderson: Oh, my God, Sherlock! That was freshman year! And I'm a criminology student, not an architecture student!

Sherlock: You're a grown woman, Anderson! You really mean to tell me you can't duct tape a piece of cardboard to a wall?

Lestrade: Everybody quiet and still! Anderson, just turn your booty around.

Anderson: Oh, for God's sake!

Lestrade: Turn! Now, please!

Anderson: (Sighing over-dramatically:) OK, fine!

She turns around.

Sherlock: Come on, think! Quick!

Anthea: What about your classmate, Sherlock?

Sherlock: (Shouting:) Anthea!

She squeaks loudly and runs out into the hallway, leaving her backpack.

Sherlock: (Increasingly excited:) Oh... Aha! She was clever. Clever, yes! She's cleverer than you lot and she's been kidnapped and possibly killed! Do you see? Do you get it? Of course she took her phone with her, and she planted it on her kidnapper! When she opened her door that night, she knew she was going to be taken!

Lestrade: But how?

Sherlock: Whaddya mean how?

Lestrade: I mean, how?

Sherlock: Rachel!

Lestrade and Joon just stare blankly at Sherlock, who continues...

Sherlock: Don't you see? Rachel!

At this point, Anderson sort of contorts around to look at Sherlock like she's crazy.  
And then, Sherlock basically deflates.

Sherlock: Oh... Look at you girls... You're all so vacant. Is it nice not being me? It must be so relaxing. Rachel is not just any name.

Joon: Then what is it?

Sherlock: Joon, on the luggage, there's a label. Check for the email address.

She goes to the couch, sits down, picks up her laptop, and starts typing away. (For our purposes, Google Maps will be used, and every time the GPS locator zooms in, one of the characters will zoom in on the university on the map while the camera isn't focused on the laptop.)

Joon: Um... It's jwilson42@gmu.edu.

Sherlock: Of course she'd use her school email account on a suitcase she'd take to school. And her password is...

Joon: Rachel.

Sherlock: Now I just need to fake a Mason Alert text to see if her phone goes off.

Anderson: So what? Wait, are you hacking a school service?

Sherlock: Um, no. (Mutters:) Yes. (Louder:) Anderson, don't talk out loud. You lower the IQ of the whole university, both professors and students. We can do more than that. Her phone must have a GPS setting on it, which means if you lose it, you can track it down online. She's leading us directly to the kidnapper.

Lestrade: Unless she got rid of it.

Joon: We know she didn't.

Anthea runs back in.

Anthea: Sherlock, seriously, I can't get this girl to go away!

Sherlock sets down the laptop and gets up.

Sherlock: Anthea, don't you have some homework to do?

Anthea: Yes, but...

Sherlock: (Ignoring her:) Come on... Find her... The phone battery won't last forever...

Lestrade: We'll just have a map location...

Sherlock: It's a start...

The GPS locator stops searching as the cell phone signal is picked up. Joon sits down to look at the computer. A beeping noise is heard.

Joon: Um, Sherlock... Lestrade...

Sherlock: (Ignoring Joon:) ...Narrows it down to students, and not just all of the city of Fairfax! It's the best lead we have!

Joon: Sherlock...!

Sherlock: (Running over:) WHAT! Oh. Oh! Where is it? Tell me! Now!

Joon: It's... Here? At our townhouse? At 221B Baker Street...? Sherlock... What did you do...?

Sherlock: What? How can it be here? I didn't do anything...

Anderson: Except for steal the suitcase!

Sherlock: Shut up, Anderson!

The beeping noise grows louder.

Lestrade: No, but seriously... Maybe it was in the suitcase when you brought it back, and it fell out somewhere?

Sherlock: And I didn't notice? Oh, come on Lestrade! I notice EVERYTHING!

A girl sneaks up behind Anthea, who is still standing in the doorway. It turns out, it's one of the girls Sherlock and Joon had chased earlier. This is JESSALYN HOPE, or JESS, a blond junior with glasses.

Joon: Anyway, we texted her, and she called back.

Lestrade: Girls, apparently, we're also looking for a cell phone somewhere here, one that belonged to the victim.

Sherlock: And who here wants to bet it's pink?

The scene focuses on Sherlock. Time seems to slow down.

Sherlock: (Voice-over:) Who do we trust, even though we don't know them that well at the beginning of the year?

And then Sherlock focuses on Jess, vaguely realizing the girl is there.

Sherlock: (Voice-over:) Who passes unnoticed, wherever they go?

The scene flashes back to the end of the earlier chase scene, when Jess and her friend turn around to be caught by Sherlock and Joon.

Sherlock: (Voice-over:) Who hunts in the middle of a crowd?

The scene returns to the living room. Jess pulls a pink cell phone out of her pocket and texts Sherlock, who looks at the message.  
As we see her reading the message, we see what was written, floating out of her phone as a small title. The message says: "Come with me." The title fades out.  
Sherlock lowers her phone and looks past Anthea at Jess, who waves and turns to leave.

Joon: Sherlock, are you alright?

Sherlock: (Absently:) Huh? What? Oh, yeah. I'm cool.

Joon: OK, so how is the phone here?

Sherlock: Um... I... don't know?

Joon: I'll try again.

Joon hits the refresh button on the webpage. Sherlock still isn't quite totally paying attention to what's going on.

Sherlock: Yeah, OK, sure.

She starts to leave.

Joon: Wait, hold up. Where are you going?

Sherlock: Fresh air. Just stepping out a minute. Be back soon.

Joon: But we were just out, like, five minutes ago? How much fresh air can a woman get? Are you OK?

Sherlock: Yep. I'm good.

Sherlock runs the rest of the way out of the house.

Fade to:


End file.
